Stringed musical instrument.



PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

L. E. WATFORD.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 8. 1904.

Httomegs UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905,

LELAND E. I/VATFORD, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,015, dated January 3, 1905.

v Application filed June 8, 1904. Serial No. 211,659.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LELAND E. VVATEORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Stringed Musical Instrument, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stringed musical instruments of that class commonly known as zithers, and has for 1ts ob ect to provide for mechanically vibrating the strings in a simple and improved manner and in this connection to provide, for simultaneously vibrating any number of strings in a convenient and effective manner.

It is further designed to arrange the apparatus whereby the player may employ one hand for operating the means for vibrating the strings, while the other hand is free to manipulate the means for controlling a plurality of picks in order that the latter may be drawn into and out of operative relation with respect to the strings, so as to facilitate the playing of difl erent pieces of music.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stringed musical instrument having the mechanical playing apparatus of the present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the key-actuated controlling device. Figs. 3 and 4: are detail views showing modified forms of picks. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing modified forms of pickerguides.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each and every ligure of the drawings.

For an explanation of the application and operation of the present invention there has been shown in the accompanying drawings the hollow body 1 and the strings 2 of any approved form of musical instrument of that class commonly known as zithers.

In applying the present invention there is provided a key-supporting rail 3, disposed above and out of contact'with the strings, with each end supported by a post 4, rising from the top of the body of the instrument. Dis-' posed transversely across this key-supporting rail is a series of keys 5, which are mounted to rock upon the rail and are fulcrumed or pivoted intermediate of their ends, as indicated at 6. Adjacent what will be termed the inner endof the series of keys and be neath said keys is a stop-rail 7, which is supported at each end upon a post 7, rising from the top of the instrument. This stop-rail is provided with a series of upstanding pins 8, corresponding in number to the keys and loosely received in vertical openings therein, so as to limit lateral play of the keys, while the rail constitutes a stop to limit the downward movement of the inner end of each key. To normally hold the inner end of each key elevated above the stop-rail 7, a spring 9 is connected, as at 10, to the outer end of the key,from which it inclines downwardly and inwardly and is connected to a cross-bar 11, carried by the posts t above and out of contact with the body of the instrument. Each key is provided with a pick 12, in the nature of an arm, pivoted, as at 13, to the inner end of the key and hung therefrom, so as to swing transversely across the end of the key, the lower end of the arm being provided with a pin or projection 14, constituting the pick proper. This picker-arm may be fiat, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and pierced by the supporting-pin 13, which is carried by the key, or, as shown in Fig. 3, the arm may be substantially cylindrical in shape, as at 12, and pierced by a pivot 13, carried by the key. Another modified form of pickerarm has been shown in Fig. 4, wherein an arm 12 is provided at its upper end with a loop 15, loosely hung from a pin 13", depending from the inner end of the key 5. It will here be explained that the spring 9 normally holds the inner end of the key elevated to such an extent as to maintain the picks 14 at the lower ends of the pickerarms above and out of contact with the strings l strings of the instrument they may still be of the instrument, While at the same time the keys are capable of being depressed against the tension of the springs 9 to bring the picks into position for contact with the strings 2 when the picker-arms are swung or vibrated upon their pivotal supports.

The means for swinging or vibrating the series of picker-arms comprises an endwise reciprocatory bar 16, which is mounted in substantial parallelism with the inner ends of the keys above and out of contact with the strings 2 and terminally supported in suitable guides 17, rising from the body of the instrument. As indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, a longitudinal series of pins or projections 18 extend from the bar 16 and between the series of picker-arms 12, so as to contact with 'opposite sides of the picker-arms when the bar is reciproeated, and thereby swing or vibrate the picker-arms, wherefore it will be understood that the projections 18 constitute seats or guides for moving the picker-arms. In lieu of projections the seats 01' guides may be embodied in the form of openings, as indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, wherein the bar has been shown provided with a transverse slot 19 for the reception of the flat picker-bar, a circular opening 20 for the reception of a cylindrical picker-arm, and a square opening 21 for the reception of a picker-arm which is square in cross-section. To facilitate the reciprocation of the bar 16, a power-wheel 22 is mounted upon a support 23 in the nature of a bridge spanning the strings of the instrument and "supported at opposite ends upon suitable posts or brackets 24, rising from the top of the instrument. This wheel is provided with a crank-handle 25 and may be in the nature of a pulley or a toothed gear, as desired. In front of the power-wheel 22 is a similar wheel or pulley 26, mounted upon the bridge and operativelyconnected with the power- Wl186l-8.S, for instance, by means of a belt 27. A crank-arm 28 is carried by the wheel 26 and rises above the bridge for connection With one end of a connecting-rod 29, which has its opposite end pivotally connected to the reciprocating bar 16, as indicated at 30.

In operating the present instrument the bar 16 is reciprocated by manipulation of the crank-handle 25 and one or more of the keys 5 are depressed to bring the picker arms thereof into the guides or seats of the reciproeatory bar, whereby said picker-arms will be rapidly vibrated to Wipe the picks let thereof across the adjacent strings to set the same into vibration, and thus sound the instrument.

It will here be explained that the keys may be arranged as in a pianoforte, whereby the manipulation of the keys will be greatly facilitated to those familiar with the manner of fingering an ordinary keyboard.

By reason of the fact that all of the pickerarms are normally out of contact with the engaged with the guides or seats of the reciprocating bar 16, so as to continuously vibrate therewith without sounding the strings except when depressed into engagement with said strings, wherefore the reciprocating bar may be continuously moved without interfering with the effective manipulation of the keys to control the picker-arms.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my invention, whatl claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A stringed musical instrument of the class described having a key, a picker member pivotally hung from the key and capable of being depressed therewith into engagement witha string, and means to swing the picker member upon the key to vibrate the string.

2. A stringed musical instrument of the class described having a key, a picker member pivotally hung from the key, and actuating means including a reciprocating device having a guide receiving the 'picker member to swing the latter upon the key.

3. A stringed musical instrument of the class described having a series of keys, picker members pivotally carried by the respective keys, and means for simultaneously swinging the picker members upon the keys, each key being depressible to bring its picker member into engagement with a string independently of the movement of the picker swinging means.

4. A stringed musical instrument of the class described havinga series of keys, picker members pivotally carried by the keys, and a reciprocating device having guides for the reception of the respective picker members to swing the same upon the keys, each key being depressible to move its picker member through the adjacent guide of the reciprocating member into engagement with a string independently of the reciprocating member.

5. A stringed musical instrument of the class described having a depressible key, a picker member pivotally carried by the key, a spring to normally hold the picker member out of contact With the adjacent string, means to swing the picker member upon its pivotal support, the key being depressible to bring the picker member into cooperation with the adjacent string, and a stop to limit the movement of the key.

6. A stringed musical instrument of the class described having a key-rail, a key fulcrumed upon the rail, a stop-rail having a projection received in an opening in the key, a picker member pivotally hung from the key, said key capable of being depressed to bring its picker member into cooperation with the adjacent string, and means to swing the picker member upon its pivotal support.

7. A stringed musical instrument of the class described having a key-rail, a series of keys fulcrumed upon the rail, a stop-rail located beneath the keys and provided with upstanding projections received Within openings in the respective keys, picker members pivotally hung from the keys, springs to normally elevate the keys and hold the picker members out of contact With the strings, and a reciprocating member having guides for the reception of the respective picker members to swing the latter upon their pivotal support.

8. In a stringed musical instrument of the class described, the combination With a stringed body, of a key-rail supported thereon, a series of keys fulcrumed upon the keyrail, picker members pivotally hung from the keys, a reciprocating member having guides for the reception of the respective picker members to swing the latter upon their pivotal supports, a bridge spanning the strings of the instrument, and a motor mounted upon the bridge and provided With a connecting-rod connected to the reciprocating member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn I have hereto iti'fiXGCl my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

LELAND E. WATFORD.

Witnesses:

.E. FRANK MARsToN,

Ln ROY WVEBB. 

